Syrian rebels pledge loyalty to al-Qaeda … BEIRUT — A Syrian rebel group's April pledge of allegiance to al-Qaeda's replacement for Osama bin Laden suggests that the terrorist group's influence is not waning and that it may take a greater role in the Western-backed fight to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad.

U.S. Agencies Said to Swap Data With Thousands of Firms — Thousands of technology, finance and manufacturing companies are working closely with U.S. national security agencies, providing sensitive information and in return receiving benefits that include access to classified intelligence, four people familiar with the process said.

Religion and Inequality — About a century ago, Walter Judd was a 17-year-old boy hoping to go to college at the University of Nebraska. His father pulled him aside and told him that, though the family had happily paid for Judd's two sisters to go to college, Judd himself would get no money for tuition or room and board.

Paul Ryan explains GOP's 2012 loss — Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said Friday that he and Mitt Romney lost in November in part because they were arguing against the “empty promises” of the not-yet-implemented Obamacare law. — “This was the challenge that Mitt Romney and I had in this last election …

Tap It: NSA Slow Jam (featuring Remy) — Government surveillance never sounded so smooth... Government surveillance never sounded so smooth. — Song written and performed by Remy. Produced by Meredith Bragg. About 2:45 minutes. — Scroll below for downloadable versions and subscribe …

Opinion: Resolved To Do Better — Six months ago today we grieved along with families in Newtown and throughout the world, as we heard the story of the twenty children gunned down as they learned, and the teachers who died trying to save them. — Our grief had a familiar feeling for both of us …

Bill Clinton: Gun groups try to ‘terrify’ — Former President Bill Clinton said Friday that gun groups are trying to “terrify” people into believing the federal government wants to take away their firearms. — “What's going on is that these organized interest groups don't want anything done …

Sympathy for the Luddites — In 1786, the cloth workers of Leeds, a wool-industry center in northern England, issued a protest against the growing use of “scribbling” machines, which were taking over a task formerly performed by skilled labor. “How are those men, thus thrown out of employ …

Freedom: The Unfolding Revolution — 'Why are there no libertarian countries? In a much-discussed essay for Salon, Michael Lind asks: “If libertarians are correct in claiming that they understand how best to organize a modern society, how is it that not a single country in the world …

The Bell Tolls for the ‘New Majority’ — Next year should be a banner year for the GOP, and may yet be. — Obamacare, a “train wreck” about to happen, says Democratic Sen. Max Baucus, goes into full effect Jan. 1, with the popular IRS as enforcer. — The Obama media feel betrayed …

Secret Court Ruling Put Tech Companies in Data Bind — SAN FRANCISCO — In a secret court in Washington, Yahoo's top lawyers made their case. The government had sought help in spying on certain foreign users, without a warrant, and Yahoo had refused, saying the broad requests were unconstitutional.

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